New B.C. building code changes will allow for taller mass-timber buildings

Residential and office towers up to 18 storeys can now be built with mass timber

Mass-timber construction in B.C. is reaching new heights.

The province announced last week that it wi ll update the provincial building code to encapsulated mass-timber construction ( EMTC) buildings to reach as high as 18 storeys for residential and office buildings, up from the previous limit of 12 storeys.

EMTC is a type of construction that has achieved a certain degree of fire safety due to the mass-timber construction components being encapsulated in fire-resistant materials.

Encapsulated mass timber can also now be used for a greater variety of building types, including schools, libraries, care facilities, retail, and light- and medium-industrial buildings.

“These expanded provisions for mass timber will enhance the innovation already happening in the province, offering designers, developers and municipalities the opportunity to pursue high-performance, low-carbon wood construction in a wider range of buildings,” Rick Jeffrey,

president and CEO of the Canadian Wood Council, said in a

statement.

“The 18-storey EMTC provisions have tremendous potential to strengthen the B.C. economy by using B.C. forest products and workers to build much-needed affordable housing.”

B. C. leads the countr y in mass-timber construction and is home to 42.6 per cent of the 832 mass-timber projects that are in various stages of planning or development across Canada.

This translates to 355 projects that have been completed, have started construction or have been planned since 2007 through to the first three months of 2024, according to federal government data.

In February, the City of Vancouver approved a motion to give new mass-timber construction the opportunity to add density. In areas that allow for buildings of eight to 11 storeys, mass-timber developments can qualify for two additional storeys. In areas that that allow for buildings with 12 or more storeys, these developments can qualify for three additional storeys.

“You have to make the way for change, you have to write the codes to adopt change and then there is always a lag between getting the industry up to speed as the demand increases,” Grant

Newfield, a professional engineer and principal at Read Jones

Christoffersen Ltd. (RJC Engineers), said in a March interview.

“We’re in that stage of an evolving [industry], but it’s still going to be a five-year period to see it get to a more mature level.”